Description:1. Drill ventilation holes in one shelf. 2. Cut the two 50-cm IVAR side unit to about 70 cm. 3. Cut the 30-inch IVAR side unit into two 80 cm long wooden spacers. 4. Paint all wooden parts. 5. The IVAR shelving unit assembled according to instructions. 6. Stabilize anything with brackets and screws (except the mattress board to ensure that the height is adjustable). 7. Screw the bottom rollers. 8. Fit between the two sides panels the 80 cm long wooden bar top. 9. Cut the Roller Blind fit for the side pieces (2 pieces 60 x 80cm and 2 pieces x 60 x 43.5 cm) and attach with a staple gun (under the bed surface mount only slightly to the left board height adjustable). 10. Drill small holes in the sides pierced and pull through a thin rope or a washing line or a cable. 11. Cut mattress if necessary, clean linens, finished.

1. The cot has wheels. So the baby is always near you. 2. The mattress is adjustable in height. 3. The mattress is 50 x 80 cm. The baby can lie long in bed. 4. The cot has storage space for wrapping things or toys. 5. The baby can see through the transparent side panels. 6. The cot has a good amount to save for their own backs. 7. The cot is very easy to build. 8. We find that the cot looks great. 9. The baby bed is only about 72€. 10. If the baby is too big for the baby bed, the bed is simply turned back into a shelf.

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Jules IKEAHacker "I am Jules, the engine behind IKEAHackers and the one who keeps this site up and running. My mission is to capture all the wonderful, inspiring, clever hacks and ideas for our much loved IKEA items".

33 Responses to Kai’s great IVAR cot

Nice, I guess. But my question is: why? I mean really, why bother with spending 74 euros and all your time in order to make a cot that is not very safe when you can buy a ready-made cot that has passed safety tests and costs half the money…?

I like it. I think it looks great and obviously fits the needs of the people who built it – and I’m guessing that it hasn’t killed their baby! If someone were to read the comments without looking at the images, they’d be forgiven for thinking that this thing was built out of barbed wire dipped in kerosene and placed in a pond full of piranhas. Yeah, great, everyone’s entitled to their opinion, but when it’s been said 15 times, does it need to be said a further 15 times by bandwagon-riders? I was under the impression that this site was an open forum for creative people to share their creativity. Guess not.

The only way I would put my baby in this is if I was sitting next to him the whole time, and he was no more than 2 months old. In addition to everything else mentioned above for safety, the use of staples to secure the blinds is also concerning.

I have worked at Ikea for ten years, and know the anatomy of their cribs, and any other crib. I think these people who created this hack are not stupid and would never put theit child into something unsafe. I would be more worried putting my child made by some overworked person on the factory somewhere in China, or any where else. P.S The cause of Sids is not known just so you all know. The doctors are still trying to understand. GREAT HACK!

Thank you for all the answers. This shows that many readers of baby health is important. Us too! You see here the very simple description of the execution. In fact, we have built the cot very many additional subsidy, with screws and brackets. The side panels are extra secure. The mattress is a Oringinal IKEA cot mattress in the photo is missing the cover. Kai is situated only the first 8 weeks during the day in the crib. At night and for long periods of sleep, he lies in a proper baby bed. We are convinced that this is a better solution than to put the baby in a baby rocker.

Good for you. people forget that long before safety standards and companies began to make baby furniture, that people made do with thier own inventions. I’m not saying that is or isn’t safe, but that ingenuity should be rewarded and that nothing in this world is without risk. Im sure these parents would never harm thier child and considered thier decision to build this fantastic temporary crib. Great job guys!

I agree! I understand the need for protecting our babies, but let’s face it, generations upon generations have come and go to get us to the point where we are at now – each one with far FAR worse conditions than we have now, not only that but take a look at your local Target or Walmart recall wall and tell me honestly if their pre-made factory line stuff is truly better than something you have made by hand. Something you have intimate knowledge of structure and stability, not just blind faith because it cost $400 and says “Gerber”. Good job on creating something.

Thanks to all the people that thinks every hack for babies is the World’s most dangerous thing. Didn’t you ever think that Humans started to be nursed in caves and forests?Thinking your way leads us to extinction (by softness).

What can I add…. Please get a decent crib if you love your child (I know you love him/her as you took time to build this). In addition soon your baby will really start to move and twist.A lot of security issue here.Maybe the ikeahack site owner should install a button to push when hacks reach the limit?…Thanks. And as per the remark of Jo above, I’m signing Anonymous bec. I don’t want to log in with any of my accounts as probably most of us.Jerry, Belgium

Also worried about the safety of the baby… you can find a crib (or moses basket) for less than 74 euros. And even if you couldn’t , I really think that the safety of a baby has no price…Someone already said that the mattress isn”t at all safe, but the fabric that covers the sides, isn’t either… it would have to be much thicker or padded (and then there would be concerns about sids) and should be tucked under the mattress, and not “fall” to the sides creating a gap where the baby can hurt himself (or fall). babies actually move a lot, even the firs months…

Jo, thanks for the thoughtful jab. The website owner is very good at filtering out comments that are detrimental to the site. Seeing as how she has not filtered out people’s opinions (whether posted anonymous or not), I think that we will be Ok. Anyhoo, thanks for the dig.

nice idea but this doesnt seem very safe…it always kinda bugs me when some people make a sleeping crib/cot or bed hack for infants/babies….im sure the intention was good but they are not certified to make infant furniture…it really doesnt cost must to buy a pack n play or amys arms reach co sleeper or even a bassinet. dont risk your childs life!

I think this is more a variety of the Moses basket than a crib. For those who are concerned with the safety, let us remember how fast we change options and choices with the baby; I remember measuring the Moses basket and calculating that my baby can sleep in it until six months old, and how I bought a crib at six weeks, as he strted to stir and he could have somehow make it to fall fromthe stand.

Though this is a lovely idea my concern is this. It is not TUV / GS Approved (Safety standard approved). Ikea in Germany have a cot for 29 Euro which surely is cheap and safety tested. When buying a cot make sure it is at least safety approved. Kids have this knack of sticking fingers in places that you wouldn’t dream of fitting. Please reconsider going to Ikea and just buying a Sniglar baby bed.

It does look beautiful but sadly I don’t think it’s safe. I always get irritated with people commenting upon the safety issues but in this case I cant help it- with it being a baby. SIDS as mentioned above & concerns about movement when your baby can move & roll etc. Should be considered- sorry but as I said very beautiful! Maybe you could think of another purpose for it?

To begin with, you should not use foam with indentations like that. To reduce SIDS risk, the mattress should be extra firm and flat. Could have used flat closed cell foam, but I see many other safety problems with this as well. Is that side material completely breathable? Any gaps? I’m sorry to have to be so negative and normally I love to see the creative hacks people come up with here, but babies are precious and this one is not worth the risks.

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